The Girl at Camp Green Lake
by blackfire10169
Summary: Kimi gets sent to Camp Green Lake for a crime she didn't commit. As the months go by Kimi finds herself falling in love with one of the boys from D-Tent. Will he love her back? Will the cops ever find if she's inoccent? Read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

Girl at Camp Green Lake

--------------------

Chapter One

------------------

Camp Green Lake

-----------------

Kimi shifted her weight from her hiding spot under the cabinets. She had been there since her father had returned home from Charlie's Bar. He had been there all afternoon drinking the day away.

Kimi winced as the sound of flesh against flesh erupted. She could tell her momma was getting it bad tonight. Her mom had told her to go hide because she had gotten it last night from her dad and she still ached. He had been really mad because she had gotten a C on her report card.

She jumped when she heard the blow of a gun. It went off twice before all went quiet. Kimi waited about ten minutes before she left her hiding spot to find her mom and help her clean up.

Kimi slowly walked out of the kitchen and into the living room where her parents had been last seen fighting. She stopped and looked into a mirror on the wall. Her face was hollow and bruised, from all the beatings and not enough food. Her eye was turning black and blue and she had a small cut on the corner of her mouth. Disgusted, she turned away and looked around the living room. She didn't see either of her parents. She looked dreadfully at the ground to see two people toppled on the ground, pools of blood circling them both.

Kimi picked up the gun that her father had used to shot them both. She looked at it closely letting her hands run over it. A single tear escaped down her cheek. The gun fell from her hands as she dropped on her knees by her mother, sobbing. She could hear sirens in the distant getting closer and closer. She guessed one of the neighbors probably heard the shots and called the police.

Kimi didn't know how long she stayed like that, sprawled out on her mother. But she stayed like that till someone put a firm hand on her shoulder. She looked up into the gentle eyes of a young police man. The man arrested her thinking that she killed her parents seeing that the gun was next to her.

A few days later she was brought to her house and told to pack her things, and was sent off. After her parents died a few days before Kimi became scared and she refused to speak, making her look more guilty. The neighbor that had called said that she heard Kimi's mom and dad fighting then she heard the two gunshots. The police figured that Kimi couldn't take the fighting so she got her fathers gun aimed for him, but accidentally shot her mom. She then walked up to her dad, put the gun to his head and killed him, then feeling guilty, Kimi greave for her mother by laying on her for the last time. The only thing Kimi managed to say was, "I'm innocent."

Kimi had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that she was on a rusty old bus that was going somewhere for her to build character, whatever that meant.

"Hey mom," X-Ray called out as Dr. Pendanski walked in the small tent. Two men where following him carrying a cot very much like the other seven cots already in the tent. "What you got there?"

"What's it look like," Dr. Pendanski asked.

"I don't know mom, maybe it's a new water ski," he joked. "Or maybe you decided you want to sleep in our tent. Is that it mom?"

"Yeah, right, no actually today's your lucky day boys," said Dr. Pendanski as the two men left the cot that had a large crate on top of it in the middle of the room. "You fellow's are getting a new room mate. No not me. He'll be here any minute, so move your beds around to fit this one in."

He was about to leave when Armpit spoke up, "Why can't you give him to a different tent?"

"Because there all full, more full then this one," he answered truthfully leaving the boys alone to move the beds to their liking.

After the beds where moved, all the boys but Zero, Magnet, and Squid left the tent to play a game of pool.

The bus rattled to a hard stop. The sleeping Kimi was thrown against the seat in front of her, and then fell to the floor. She jumped up and brushed herself off as the guard in front of the bus called out, "Camp Green Lake, everybody off."

_So, I'm at a camp. I_ _thought I was being punished, not treated_. She looked around the bus; she was the only one on it besides the guard and the bus driver. The guard and her were the only ones who got off after she grabbed her bags. _I thought he said everybody off_; there was hardly anybody on it. She rolled her eyes and followed the guard towards a run down building. "No funny business," The guard told her as they walked in the building.

Inside sat an over weight large, no offence, ugly man chewing on sunflower seed. She gritted her teeth as he spit the shells out on his desk. How terribly disgusting, she thought fighting the urge to turn and run.

He stared at her. "You're a girl," he stated.

_No shit Sherlock_.

He told her not to sit down as he stood up. Kimi saw the gun and became instantly scared. _This isn't a camp, Camp Green Lake is just a name to divers you for the real reason you're here. He's going to execute me, _she panicked.

He saw her starting to panic while looking at his gun. "This ain't for you," he growled. "It's for them yellow spotted lizards."

She sighed, _so this is a camp._

"I am Mr. Sir," he growled at her coming around his desk and headed for the door. She figured since he's talking to her, she needs to follow, so she did. "Here at Camp Green Lake we try our best to turn bad boys into good boys, by diggin' holes. It builds character."

_Great, just my luck to get stuck at a camp with a bunch of boys._

"But in your case," he continued, "We'll do our best to turn a bad girl into a good girl."

Mr. Sir led her into a door less room and handed her two bright orange jumpsuits. He grabbed her two bags that she was carrying and went though the bags as a short man came in. He had on long shorts, high socks, a sombrero looking hat, and white suntan lotion thickly on his nose. "I'm Dr. Pendanski," he informed Kimi. "I just want you to know that you may have done some bad things in your life, but that does not make you a bad kid." He pause shocked, "You're a girl."

_You're just noticing?_

"I didn't mean to sound so; surprised but only boys come here."

_So I've heard._

Mr. Sir cut in handing her, her bags back, "You should see what she did, she deserves to be here."

"She does, does she," he asked more to himself studying her. "Does she get her own tent?" He asked confused.

"No," Mr. Sir said. "The warden said we can't shuffle the boys so that she gets her own tent. Besides, she did the crime; she gets to pay the time."

"Of course, besides I already put a cot on for her in D-tent. Right, well come on, uh." Dr. Pendanski looked from Mr. Sir to Kimi.

Kimi stared and Mr. Sir shrugged. Seeing that Kimi wasn't going to say anything, Mr. Sir sighed heavily and opened the file he was carrying "says here her name is Kimi. Kimi," He looked at Kimi, "What kind of name is that?"

_What kind of name is Mr. Sir?_

"Well," Dr. Pendanski said, "Come on."

"Looks like we have another Zero," Kimi heard Mr. Sir say to himself as they left.

_I ain't no zero, I am somebody really I am._

They walked into one of the little green tents where three boys, all in the orange jumpsuit, lay scattered around on cots. One of the boys, a Mexican, sat up on one elbow and asked, "Hey mom, who's the chika?"

"This," he told the boys, "Is Kimi, your new room mate."

Two boys the Mexican and a boy with short brown hair stared, but the third by, a short fuzzy headed black boy, turned away. Kimi said nothing; she just took in her surroundings.


	2. Chapter 2

Girl at Camp Green Lake

--------------------

Chapter Two

------------------

I know her

-----------------

Zero, Magnet, and Squid were all lying around on their cots when Dr. Pendanski came in with a beautiful girl who was a little shorter then Magnet. She had creamy white skin, long brown hair, and big blue eyes. She looked scared and intimidated. She was wearing a pair of flared jeans and a black spaghetti strap shirt.

Magnet sat up on his elbow and asked, "Hey mom, who's the chika?"

"This is Kimi, your new room mate," he told the three boys.

What could she have possibly done to land here, Zero thought turning away.

At that moment the rest of D-tent decided to make their entrance. Once they caught sight of Kimi they stopped dead in their tracks.

"What is that?" Zigzag asked.

"It's a girl, what else does it look like," Squid said.

"This," Dr. Pendanski explained once more, "Is Kimi. Your new room mate."

Kimi looked at the four boys who just walked in while Dr. Pendanski, who strangely enough the boys call mom, told Kimi who everyone was. He pointed to each boy as he said their names, "Rex, Theodore, Ricky, Allen, Jose, Stanley, and Zero. Wanna know why they call him zero? Because theirs nothing in his little head."

Soon after that, he left leaving the boys to correct him. "X-Ray, Armpit, Zigzag, Squid, Magnet, Caveman, and Zero," X-Ray said pointing as he talked. "And this," He stood at the sent of a small cot, "is your bed."

She looked at the bed. It was between Zero and Magnets beds. She pulled a book out of backpack and threw the rest of her luggage into the crate and slid that under her bad along with the distasteful jumpsuits she had been issued.

She opened the book and pretended to read it. She tried to show know emotion while the boys around her whispered, about her no doubt. She felt a pair of eyes on her and she turned to meet the eyes of the boy the others call Zero staring at her. She stared right back at him. _This is some sort of test, I just know it._ Finally a bell rang off in the distant. He gave a smile and a nod before he jumped off his cot and headed for the tent flap. All of the other boys followed him out but two. The Spanish boy and the brown haired boy the others called Squid stayed behind. "You commin'" Squid asked.

"For what?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"For supper chika, what else," Magnet asked like that was a stupid question.

_They seem safe enough. _She studied the two boys who looked at her waiting. After a moment she gave them a nod and followed the out of the tent and up into the mess hall.

I'm in a camp full of delinquents, Kimi realized as she sat down with her watery potatoes, crusty hamburger meat, and salty green beans. _So they are punishing_ _me. Why else would they send me to a camp full of delinquents? I don't exactly know what I did to deserve to be here but whatever I did it must have been bad._

She was sitting in front of Zero and next to Magnet, at the end of the table. She was going to sit at an empty table by herself, but Zigzag called her over explaining that all 'campers' had to sit at the same table with the people in their tent. The boys all talk around her till Zigzag asked the question that all of the boys from D-tent wanted to know, "So, Kimi, what'd you do to end up in a dump like this?"

The boys stopped eating and looked curiously at Kimi. After a couple minutes, realizing that she wasn't going to say anything, Zero started to shovel his watery potatoes down. The other boys, unlike Zero, kept pestering her. Zero kept eating trying not to make it too obvious that he was listening for her answer.

"Maybe she'll tell us if we tell her about us. What you think?" X-Ray asked.

Magnet was the first to tell. "I took a puppy. I would have made it out, if my pocket didn't start barking." Kimi tried to keep the smile that was coming down. No one else laughed, they heard it to many times before.

"Caveman and Zero got caught stealing a pair of shoes." Armpit informed Kimi.

"Only difference between me and Zero is I didn't steal the shoes," Caveman said telling the truth.

"Yeah get this," Squid said. "They fell out of the sky."

"They did I promise they fell from the sky and hit me in the head," Caveman said. Every one laughed, even Zero managed a smile. Kimi on the other had kept her face as blank as possible.

"So, what'd you do?" X-Ray asked.

"Looks like he have another Zero," Armpit whispered to X-Ray, but loud enough for Kimi to hear.

_That's the same thing Mr. Sir said. Is it true, am I just a zero? Or do they mean I'm just like the kid in front of me? The kid named Zero?_

"Come on Kimi, you ain't better then us. What'd you do?" X-Ray asked once more

"I'm innocent," Kimi whispered just loud enough for Magnet and Zero to hear. She stood up and left her food behind, untouched.

"What she say?" Kimi heard Armpit ask as she left.

"Says she's innocent," Magnet told the others.

"Hey," one of the boys called out behind her. "Can we have your food?" He asked as the door shut behind her.

"I'll take that as a yes," Zigzag said grabbing her hamburger meat. The other boys dug in taking their share of Kimi's food, all but Zero and Caveman. Zero and Caveman were both deep in thought.

She's innocent, so she says, just like me, Caveman thought. Maybe the same thing that happened to me happened to her. Only it probably wasn't shoes it was probably something like cloths or food. But if she's innocent then it wouldn't be something so practical. If only she'd tell me, I could help her. At least I'd do what I can to help.

I know her from somewhere, Zero thought. Where have I seen here before?

Zero flash back

A little brown haired girl no older then 5, in pigtails was playing on the jungle gym. She's going to fall the way she's doing that, Zero thought watching the little girl from the tunnel he had just woken up from. He watched her till she only had three more bars to pass. She'll be fine, Zero thought. He lay back down and closed his eyes when he heard a scream and someone crying.

Zero looked back to the monkey bars and saw the pretty little girl sitting on her bottom looking at her elbow. It had scratched and was now bleeding. Not real bad, but bad enough to scare the little girl. He crawled out from the tunnel he was sleeping in and walked calmly up to the little girl. "Don't worry," he told her. "It's not real bad. Here," He got some grass and came back over to her. Take these," the little girl looked at him with wide eyes. "Rub it over till the blood is gone, and then place your hand over your scratch till it stops bleeding. You'll be fine."

The little girl took the grass and did as she was instructed to do when a large man came screaming towards them. "You no go piece of crap. What did I tell you about messing your dress up?"

Zero looked at her dress. It had some blood on the bottom of it. It's not so bad, wash it and it will come out I bet, Zero thought.

The man kept rambling on about how she never listens and how he'll teach her some manners once they get home. The girl started to silently cry. "Sir," Zero said to the girl's father.

The man looked at him and snorted, "Who're you?"

"I sorry I messed her dress up." The little girl looked at Zero with curiosity and respect. "It was an accident. She was on the monkey bars and I was on them to, I passed her and she fell. I really am sorry."

"Where's you mother boy?" The man roared.

"She's at home," Zero lied.

"You come near my kid again and I'll kill you." He forcefully picked the girl up by her forearm and dragged her away. The girl looked back one time and it was a look that said thanks.

End of Flash back

I know where I've seen her, at the playground.


	3. Chapter 3

Girl at Camp Green Lake

--------------------

Chapter Three

------------------

The First Hole is Always the Hardest

-----------------

Kimi was lying on her cot, thinking about her life back at home, when the boys showed up. As soon as they busted through the cloth door chatting to each, Kimi closed her eyes to appear sleeping.

Kimi slowly, slightly opened her eyes to see them. Zero was the last to come through that green cloth door. He looked deep in thought as he threw himself on to his cot next to Kimi's. He looked over at Kimi just in time to see her eyes snap shut. He smiled to himself. So she's pretending, he thought, we've all done that.

Armpit got down in Kimi's face. She saw a shadow moving as he waved his hand back in forth in front of her face. "She's asleep," he informed the other boys.

"What do you all think of that girl," Zigzag asked nodding his head in her direction.

"I like her," Caveman said sitting down on his cot.

"Yeah, this chika is kind of hot," Magnet commented.

"No," Caveman said, "I mean I like her, she's nice."

"You mean you don't think she's hot?" Armpit asked astonished.

"I ne-never said that. She's pretty; I just don't like her like that. I mean, I don't even know her."

"Yeah," X-Ray said. "She never even said more then two words so far."

"That's not true," Squid interrupted. "She talked to Magnet and me before we went to dinner."

"Really," Armpit said with fake amusement. "What'd she say?"

Even Zero was interested, but he watched Kimi as he listened to see how she would react to this conversation that he could tell she was listening to.

"Well, not much. But it was more then two words said by her all evening." Squid said coming to Kimi's defense.

"How many words did she say," X-Ray persisted.

"She said two words," Magnet cut in. "She said 'for…what."

A few of the boys laughed. "Yeah," X-Ray said. "Four words is a whole lot more then two."

Zero saw Kimi scowl.

"Well, four words is better the only two," Squid said coming to Kimi's defense again.

"Well, it is four more words then Zero," commented Zigzag.

"Hey," Caveman said. "He's said way more then that. To me."

"Oh yeah," X-Ray rolled his eyes. "How could we forget. How 'bout this, 'its four more words the _we've_ ever heard from Zero," He indicated to everyone except for Caveman.

Zero sat up and looked at the others, "I resent that," He said.

Everyone started at Zero. Even Kimi peeked open an eye for a moments.

"Now she's only beatin' him by one word yall," Zigzag exclaimed.

Kimi only got about an hour or so of sleep that night. But Kimi also saw that she wasn't the only one restless that night. She saw Squid and Zigzag tossing and turning all night long. At one point, Kimi saw Squid sit up and look at Kimi like he was making sure she was still there. He even got to the point where he came up to Kimi and put ear next to her face like he was making sure that she was still breathing.

"What are you doing?" Kimi asked puzzled.

Squid jumped. "So…sorry. Did I wake you?" He asked concerned.

No, I couldn't sleep," Kimi mumbled sitting up.

Me neither. Sorry, I'll, I'll let you get back to um…"

"Thinking, I was just thinking." She laid back down.

"Right… Well, goodnight Kimi." He moved back to his own bed.

"Night."

About an hour later, a bugle was sounded for the wake up call. Kimi groaned inside. She knew it was the wake up call but she was going to pretend that she didn't know. _Maybe they'll let me sleep in. HE-HE-HE._

Magnet drug himself over to Squids, who had finally fallen asleep, bed. "Come on man," He shook Squid "time to get up."

Squid groaned and sat up. He looked around the tent. He only saw one person who appeared to be sleeping, Kimi. He did the same as Magnet had done moments before. He dragged himself over to Kimi's cot and shook her. "Come on…Kimi, its time to get up."

Kimi groaned and sat up. She looked around the tent, then up at Squid and smiled.

That's the first time I've seen her smile, Squid thought, she's beautiful. Squid smiled back at her. He knew what she was doing. She was mimicking what he had done earlier when Magnet woke him up. Cute, he thought, very cute.

"Do I have to wear one of those?" Kimi whispered loud enough for only Squid to hear.

Squid looked at what she was pointing to. It was the orange jumpsuit. "Fraid so."

Kimi groaned. She was still wearing the cloths she had on yesterday.

Some of the boys where leaving as she pulled out one of the tacky jumpsuits. She put it on over her cloths. It was way too large for her. Instead of wearing it like a jumpsuit, she wore it like pants with the arms tied around her waist.

Squid led Kimi over to a large group of boys in front of a small shed that was labeled as 'Library.' Every boy that saw her stared. Every boy, that is, except for the boys in d tent.

"Why are they staring at me?" Kimi asked quietly.

"Well, some of these boys haven't seen a girl for up to two and a half years. Others, like Caveman, it's only been a few weeks since they last seen one. But I think their looking at you 'cause they think your pretty." Squid blushed.

"Naw, they're probably only staring cause it's been so long since they seen a girl."

"You don't think you're pretty?"

"Not really. I mean, I don't have a reason to think I am. All my life I was told…" Her voice drifted. "Never mind," she whispered.

Most of the boys were still gawking at her, but the rest were getting their shovels. Shovels??? Yes, shovels in the shed. _What are they going to make us do?_

"Hello there Kimi," Dr. Pendanski said. He was watching the boys picking up their shovels. "How was your night?"

Kimi started blankly. _It sucked._

"You just don't talk do you?"

_I do, but not to you I don't._

He picked up a shovel and handed it to her. "This," he said, "Is your measuring stick. 5 feet long, 5 feet wide. There you go," He handed her, her shovel.

As they walked away, she looked back to make sure the nerd wasn't watching her before she leaned over to talk to Squid.

"What are we doing today?" She asked.

Squid laughed, "The same thing we do everyday."

"Which is?"

"Diggen holes girl. Didn't they tell you?"

_Oh yeah, how could I forget. _"Yeah they told me, I just forgot."

"That's alright. Come on." They had to run to catch up with the other boys from their tent who were following Mr. Sir in the water truck.

Mr. Sir led them far out to a spot clear of holes. Once there, Mr. Sir trusted a jug at here and told her that it was her canteen. He filled all the canteens, and left them to dig their holes.

Kimi put her shovel in the dirt with her foot on the metal part. With that not working she jumped on the shovel causing her to fall on her butt. Caveman looked over at Kimi. "The first hole is always the hardest," he told her solemnly.


	4. Chapter 4

Girl at Camp Green Lake

--------------------

Chapter Four

------------------

Lunch

-----------------

As the long, hot day drug on, it seemed endless. Kimi looked up at the hot sun beating down on her and whipped her forehead. _I really wish I had a hat or even one of those tea towels; it'd be better then nothing._

Kimi looked longingly at the hat on Squids head, who was in the hole next to hers. _I really, really want one of those._

Squid looked over at Kimi, feeling her eyes on him. She blushed and quickly dug another pile of dirt out of her hole. Squid smiled at her and went on back to his hole.

Finally the water truck being driven by Dr. Pendanski this time came to a stop on the road near where Armpit was digging. All the boys scurried out of their holes and lined up behind the water truck. Kimi, who had finished her water hours ago and was thirsty, scampered out of her hole and fell in line with the others. She was the last in line because she was the last one out of her hole. Little did she know, they had their own special spots to stand in line.

Turned out, not only was he filling up the canteens, but also giving them their lunch. I_t's lunch time already,_ _'bout time. _

"Hello there missy," Dr. Pendanski said annoyingly cheerful taking her canteen from her.

Kimi uttered something that sounded like aha, to Dr. Pendanski. So he took it as hi. "How you coming along so far," he asked filling up the last bit of her canteen. "You getting' any blisters yet?"

Kimi looked at her hands and saw many red dots forming. She held up her hands as he handed her, her canteen. "Ah," he said. "It'll get easier. Take one of each," he said gesturing to the food on the end of the truck.

Kimi took a wrapped sandwich and an apple and sat down inside her hole to eat in privacy hoping none of the other boys would notice her missing. No such luck.

"Hey, where's the girl," asked Zigzag.

The boys all mumbled that they didn't know and a few moments later, Kimi saw a shadow fall across her. She didn't look up. The boy jumped down beside her and sat down. She didn't move over to make room for the boy. _If he wants to sit there, then he'll have to endure the pain of not having enough room to plop his rump._ She giggled at the words to her thought.

"What so funny," Squid asked rubbing his apple before he took a bit.

Kimi shrugged. _Why do I have to tell you?_

Kimi ate her sandwich and Squid at his apple in silence. Squid was finished with his apple before she had finished her sandwich. It was baloney and cheese on dry, stale bread. She choked down the last bit with her water. Kimi looked at her apple and handed it to Squid. His eyes asked her what she was doing. She pushed it at him and stood up with her shovel. Squid took that as a sign to leave.

"Thanks," Squid said trudging out of her hole and heading towards his own.

_He doesn't seem to care if I don't talk to him. It's almost like we have a connection, without talking. Well, that's different._

The day seemed to go a little bit faster having a now full stomach. She had missed out on breakfast this morning, she hadn't seen anyone getting food or near the mess hall. Then she realized something, _This was the first real meal I've had for years. I'm full, I was aloud to eat till I was full. Will they always let me do that, or only till I'm not new anymore. I like the filling of fullness._

A small shadow walked by causing her to look up. Zero was walking by with his shovel across his shoulders. _Wow,_ she looked over at his hole; _he's done with his hole? I'm only half way done!_

Kimi knew she was working slowly, but she couldn't help it. She was tired. She stayed awake all night to make sure her dad would not come and get her. She knew that was stupid. She knew that her dad was dead, but she couldn't help thinking that he was going to grab her and run off with her in the darkness like he has done so many times before. That's why her mom never left him. He'd always find them, take Kimi and wait for her mother to come begging back.

Kimi, with out realizing it, shoveled harder and hared with anger and fear thinking of her father. Soon tears blurred her vision, but that didn't stop her from working harder. After a long time, she started to get tiered out and she slowed down.

"Hey chika," Magnet called out. Kimi looked up at him. "Why you still diggin' you're done."

Kimi blinked. She whipped her eyes, trying to make it look like she was getting dirt out of her eyes, when really she was whipping tears away. She looked at her hole and measured it. Sure enough, she had dug more than the length of her shovel without noticing. She sighed in relief, d_one at last._

She crawled slowly out of her hole and noticed the boys around staring at her with curiosity. Had they witnessed her episode? X-Ray swore under his breath.

_Shit, they knew._

"You alright there," asked Caveman looking scared.

She nodded and started back for the camp with her shovel dragging along behind her.

None of the boys knew what do say or do. They had just witnessed a girl go through some kind of attack. They watched her crawl out of her hole, she looked embarrassed. She looked at all of the boy's faces one by one. Then, she hung her head and slowly walked away dragging her shovel along behind her.

X-Ray silently swore under his breath. That's one fucked up girl, he thought. I wonder what happened to her. What made her the way she is?

Questions swarmed through each of the boys from tend D's heads. They were all thinking the same thing, what happened to her?

Squid was the first one to detach himself from his state. He grabbed up his shovel and ran after Kimi. Soon all the boys followed trying to catch up with Kimi. Armpit was the last to arrive to her. He was a very slow runner.

The boys had formed a circle around Kimi and were walking her back to the tent.

Kimi didn't really think much when Squid ran up to her and started walking her back towards camp, but when the other boys all came up to her one by one all she could think was, What the hell do they think there doing? It took Kimi a while to realize what they were doing. _Why, there forming a circle around me!_

The jester was as if they were protecting her. She liked that.

It was at this moment, that Kimi realized something that she'd never dreamed of. These guys would be her friends. No matter how weird she was or no matter if she talked to them or not, they'd protect her.


	5. Chapter 5

Girl at Camp Green Lake

--------------------

Chapter Five

------------------

Shower Time

-----------------

When they got back to camp, Kimi and the boy went back to their tent. The boys all started to pull out a towel, clean clothes, and a clean orange jumpsuit. Kimi lay on her bed and secretly watched Squid as he pulled out his clean jumpsuit. Underneath his jumpsuit he had on a white t-shirt and a pair of black boxers.

Feeling eyes on him, Squid looked over at Kimi who quickly rolled over onto her stomach as Squids eyes met hers. Squid picked up his clothes and towel and slowly walked over to Kimi.

"You know, we're getting' ready for showers," Squid said.

"Yeah, I'll shear my shower with ya," some one from outside called in.

Squid saw Kimi grimaced. "Come on Kimi, I'll stand guard for you. No one will come in on you. I promise.

"Thanks," she whispered as she sat up.

Kimi grabbed her towel and an extra change of clothes, but not her orange jumpsuit. She ain't going to wear that ugly thing day after day months on end.

Kimi followed Squid across the campus to the showers.

"Anyone in there?" Squid asked peaking inside the shower stalls. He leaned up against the wall, "It's all your."

Without answering Kimi stepped into the shower stall. She stepped out of her clothes and hung them on the hook on the door. Kimi turned on the warm water and just stood there for a minute letting the water run over her body.

Kimi was almost down showering when she heard voices outside. "Come on man, she cant hog the shower all to herself. That's not fair. We always shower together, not separately, said an unfamiliar voice.

"That was before, now we have a girl in this place, so deal with it and wait your turn," Squid said forcefully.

Kimi turned off the water and wrapped a towel around her, shivering.

"Let me in," the first voice said.

Suddenly the door rattled. Kimi backed up in to the far corner and slid to the ground, wrapping her arms around her knees.

Outside, Kimi heard skin against skin. She let out a scream remembering her dad hitting her mother the night they died.

Then a sound Kimi thought she'd never hear again sounded outside, a sound that she had in many nightmares, a gun shot.

After the gun went off, Kimi heard the two boys run off, leaving her all alone, silently crying to herself.

_He's coming for me. That's what that shot was. He's right outside, waiting to get me. _That thought made her cry harder. _Daddy coming_, Kimi thought hearing footsteps come near. She crouched down as small as she could make herself.

Slowly the door opened, creaking. Some one came in, a man; he looked around the shower, his eyes stopping on her.

It was too dark for her to see, but Kimi was pretty sure it wasn't Mr. Sir or Dr. Pendanski. _It's him. He's come for me to know._Kimi knew her dad was dead, but she still had the feeling that he was coming for her.

The person got closer and he kneeled down in front of her. Kimi saw that it wasn't a man at all, it was Squid. Through her tears, Kimi sighed a sigh of relief.

Squid saw Kimi only wrapped in a towel, shivering, so he stood up and went back to the door, grabbed her clothes and brought them back to her. "Get dressed," he told her gently.

"Who shot the gun?" Kimi asked Squid and he turned to leave.

Squid kneeled down in front of her again, "Mr. Sir." He said, "He was trying to scare us away from fighting."

"You left me," Kimi said going into another round of tears. "You left me, just like she did. She promised she wouldn't, but she did, just like you."

"Wait a minute, who's she?" squid asked a bit confused.

All Kimi said was, "You left me."

"I never left you," Squid sighed. "I was on the other side of the showed watching the door. I made sure you were safe."

"You promised," she whimpered.

"Yes, I did,"

Squid started to lean in to Kimi, slowly but purposely. He was about an inch from her face when, the dinner bell rang. Squid jumped up. "Get dressed, I'll be outside," he said leaving her lone to get dressed.

Slowly Kimi stood up. Realizing no one there, she dropped her towel and threw her clothes on without fully drying herself.

She opened the door and walked out of the shower. Squid was leaning on the wall chewing on a piece of grass.

Seeing Kimi in a pair of jeans and a black tank top, Squid almost gasped. The light from the lamp post shined over Kimi, showing her body. Her arms were covered on cuts and bruises. But Squid said nothing.

Kimi saw how Squid reacted towards her arms. The marks were something that she had kept a secret from everyone. _How would he react if he saw my whole body?_


	6. Chapter 6

Girl at Camp Green Lake

--------------------

Chapter Six

------------------

Hey Dog, She Talked

-----------------

Kimi ran to her green tent as fast as she could. If she had anymore tears to shed, she would have, but she didn't.

Once she reached her destination, tent D, she ran inside, to her bed and pulled out her crate from under her cot. As she was searching through it Squid came in and eyed her carefully. What is she doing? He wondered.

Finally Kimi pulled out a light black zip up, hooded jacket. She put it on and zipped it up. Satisfied, Kimi stood up and faced Squid smiling. "Better?" she asked.

Squid was speechless for a few moments. The last time he'd seen someone bruised and scratched so much was when he watched a lifetime movie with his mom when he was eleven. After what seemed like forever Squid said, "We need to get to dinner." And just like that he left, leaving Kimi hurt and confused.

Kimi followed Squid into the cafeteria and got into the almost empty line. She pushed her tray down the counter and got more gross food. Mash peas, lumpy potatoes (not watery), and fatty pork chops. _At least there is one good thing here to eat._ She thought grabbing a piece of fresh wheat bread.

Kimi ended up sitting between Caveman and Armpit. Knowing eyes were on her, Kimi balled up her bread and licked it. She heard some one make a noise indicating that he thought that was gross. Satisfied, Kimi put her balled up bread back down on her plate to save it for later. Then she turned to her lumpy potatoes, trying to smash them with her fork.

Dr. Pendanski walked up behind her, unnoticed by anyone at the table. He placed her hands on her shoulders causing her to jump. He had her attention so he turned to the rest of the table letting his hands drop. "Hello D-tent," he said. "I want to see you guys at seven for a meeting." He turned and left.

"I hate it when he does that," Armpit complained shuttering. "He just pops out of no where."

"What's a meeting?" Kimi asked quietly hoping not to bring to much attention to herself.

Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky. The whole table heard her and they turned at the, same time, to look at her.

"Hey dog, she talked," Armpit said to X-ray, but really he was talking to everybody.

"A meeting," Caveman explained, "is like a group counseling session. We all have to get together and he picks our brains."

"It hurts sometimes," Zigzag said rubbing his head.

_He's kidding, right?_

Zigzag made a mark on his arm with a pen. "What you doing?" Magnet asked seeing him do this.

Zigzag pulled up his orange sleeve to show everyone what he was doing. He had a long line in between two names, Zero and Kimi. Underneath the names were small lines for marks, "See, there's a mark for every word they each say, so far Kimi's winning."

"How many words have they each said?" Armpit asked.

"Kimi's said seven words so far and Zero's said three words so far," Zigzag said sliding his sleeve down.

After dinner the boys and Kimi went to their tent to lie around for an hour, her balled up bread hidden in her hand. Kimi didn't throw herself on her bed as soon as she got into her tent. Instead she pulled out a notebook and a pen. First she pulled out a piece of paper and laid her bread on. Then she looked towards Zigzag's bed and walked over to him and handed him her notebook.

"What's this for," Zigzag wanted to know.

_Here take it._ She shoved it unto his lap and pulled on his sleeve that he had written on.

"I think she's trying to tell you something man," X-Ray kidded.

"Oh, I get it. You want me to write it down on the paper instead of my arm?" he asked.

Kimi nodded, _you got it._

He took the pen and notebook, "thanks."

_You're welcome._

Kimi went back over to her own cot and threw herself onto in, pulling a book out to pretend to read.

"Who wants to play cards?" X-Ray asked everyone pulling out a stack of cards.

Everyone except for Zero said they'd play, but Kimi said nothing. She just sat down on X-Ray's cot. He took that as a yes from her.

They ended up playing a game of Slap Jack and Kimi was winning. Zero lay on Zigzags bed watching them play.

Zigzag had put Kimi's notebook and pen back on her cot. He had pulled out the paper he used and folded it up and put it in his pocket. Now he was playing Slap Jack with the others.

Kimi enjoyed playing this game because you don't have to talk to play this game. After Kimi won two game of Slap Jack they turned to playing Hearts. Kimi won that game to.

"Damn girl," Magnet said. "How'd you learn to play like that?"

_My dad taught me, before he turned mean. We used to sit down and play games every night. Once he started drinking, we played no more. I miss those nights._


	7. Chapter 7

Girl at Camp Green Lake

--------------------

Chapter Seven

------------------

Squid's Story

-----------------

After successfully winning the harts game, the boys played gold fish. Kimi on the other hand had become board playing cards and returned to her cot. She listened to the soothing voices of the boy's playing cards.

10 minutes till seven, tent D headed towards the recreational hall. When they walked in it was empty. There was a pool table, a book shelf full of books, a radio, and a little area with two couches and two armchairs in a square around a rug.

Magnet and Zigzag rushed for the two armchairs, but X-ray snapped his fingers at Zigzag and he got up. X-ray sat in the chair.

'Why does X-ray get everything he wants?" Kimi asked quietly sitting on a couch.

"Because he has been here the longest, once he's gone Magnet will be the boss, and so on,"

"When did you get here?"

Zero sat down next to Kimi.

"I got here before Zero," He said nodding at Zero.

Dr. Pendanski came in holding a metal fold out chair. Placing it between Magnet and Zero he sat.

"I would just like to start off saying, you may have done some bad things, but you are not bad children. Alright, let's start with you Kimi."

Kimi looked at him blankly.

"Why do you think you're here Kimi?"

Everyone seemed to lean forward in their seats to hear her answer.

Again Kimi said nothing.

Dr. Pendanski looked irritated. "Well get back to you," he said forcefully. "Jose, why are you here?"

"I saw something I wanted and I took it."

From the smile on everyone's face, Kimi could tell giving this man a hard time was one of their favorite past times. Kimi smiled to herself.

"What did you take Jose?"

"Something fury," he laughed.

"Jose," he warned angrily.

"Alright, alright…I stole a puppy. And I would have gotten away too," he insisted, "if my pocket didn't start barking."

Everyone laughed, but it was half hearted because everyone had hared the story more times then they could count.

"Good, Stanley, what did you do?"

"Well, according to the judge I stole a pair of shoes. But in reality I was walking home from school one day and a pair of shoes fell out of the sky and hit me over the head."

"Fell out of the sky? Tell me Stanley, how exactly do shoes fall out of the sky?" Dr. Pendanski asked leaning back in his seat.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Somebody must have thrown them over the bridge."

Zero looked up sharply. _I threw a pair of shoes over the Carlton Bridge. But it couldn't have been the same pair of shoes, or the same day for that matter. He came in a week after me...maybe it was my fault._

"Stanley, I don't believe anyone would throw a famous pair of shoes over a bridge. A sane person would either keep them, of sell them. So I don't believe you one bit."

Caveman went to say something else, but Dr. Pendanski interrupted him, "Allen, What about you, what did you do?"

Squid shifted in his seat. He looked nervous. "I um…" he blushed and looked at Kimi remembering the bruises on her arms. "I got arrested for excessive drinking, then I um…I got in a fight."

He heard Kimi give a gasp.

He hung his head in shame, "The other guy is now paralyzed from the waist down."

Kimi felt a tear run down her cheek. _The guy I thought was the good one. The guy I thought would understand. He's just like him. He's just like my dad._

Dr. Pendanski nodded, "That's good," he said quietly. "How does that make you feel?"

Looking at Kimi he said, "Horrible. I wish I had never gone out that night."

"Why don't you tell us what happened that night?"

Squid sighed and put his head down. "My parents were out for the night so I invited my friend Alex to stay. We were supposed to play some video games and order out for pizza. But instead he had other ideas. We ended up going out to a party. There were drugs there, and booze. I didn't take any of the drugs, but I did drink. I had beer, and some rum and soda. By the end of the night I was drunker then I'd ever been. This girl kept hanging around me and before I know it, we were making out. This guy, he was over 6 feet tall. He saw me making out with her and he got mad. I guess it was his girlfriend. He started it, he attacked me. But I was so drunk I wasn't seeing straight. It turned into a fist fight. He was very drunk by that time as well and when he fell on the ground I took my chance. I threw myself over him and started beating the shit out of him. But the problem was, he was face down, so I was punching his back. Over, and over, and over…"

Squid looked up at Kimi. She had tears rolling down her face. He wanted to do something for her, but didn't know what.

Without a word, she got up and fled the room. She ran past all the tents and down past the mess hall. She ran down past the holes that they had made earlier that day. She heard someone shout behind her, but she ignored it. She ran till she couldn't run any more. She collapsed on the dirt road, tears streaming down her face.


	8. Chapter 8

Girl at Camp Green Lake

--------------------

Chapter Eight

------------------

Zero to the Rescue

-----------------

Squid saw Kimi fall onto the ground. _Oh no!_

He ran as fast as he could. When he reached her he stopped in a skid.

"Kimi, are you alright?"

She was crying in a heap on the ground. He picked her up and pulled her onto his lap. "Shhhh," he whispered. "It's alright. Everything is going to be ok. I promise."

"Get away from me," Kimi hollered pushing him away from her.

Squid stood awkwardly looking down at her. "I was just trying to help," he said

"I don't need your help!" She screamed standing and backing away from him slowly. "I don't need anyone's help! Especially not from someone like you!"

Just than Zero came to a halt next to them. Kimi threw herself on him and hugged him.

Looking hurt Squid backed away slowly. With a last look he turned and ran back to his tent and threw himself across his cot. The boys had yet to return so he let himself cry in his misery.

Zero wasn't quit sure what to do. He had this girl on him crying her eyes out. He led her over to a rock on the side of the road, they sat on it.

"I know who you are," He said.

Kimi sniffled. "You do?"

"Yea, you the little girl from the playground."

She looked confused for a moment. Then her face softened, "oh! You're the little boy who helped me, weren't you?"

Zero smiled, "You do remember."

"Of course I remember. You told me to put the grass on my elbow," she touched her elbow.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Kimi, why are you here?"

Kimi started to cry again. "I…I didn't do it! I swear I didn't. I was hiding, and then I hear the blow…and they were dead. I swear I didn't kill them. Zero, you have to believe me, I didn't do it."

"Who's dead? Your parents?"

She nodded.

"That was your dad wasn't it. The guy at the playground, he's abused you, didn't he?"

She cried even harder, her head in her hands.

Zero put his arm around her shoulders. "It's alright. He can't get you."

After listening to her sob for a few moments, he asked, "How did they die? Did your dad shot them?"

"I think so, but I'm not sure. They were fighting and then there were two shots. Everything was quit. So I went to check it out. They were both laying there, dead. The police showed up, they assumed I did it, but I didn't."

"I believe you."

She smiled. _Someone believes me. There is still hope. _

"I hurt Squid, didn't I?"

"Yeah I think so. What happened back there?"

"I…I don't know. I thought he was so good. I see it…well; at least I thought I did. I thought he was a good person, but he hurt someone. How can I trust someone like him? He did that all the time. He drank all day, get angry, and then takes it out on mom and me. I can't trust someone else like that, how can I?"

"He made a mistake Kimi. He didn't mean to. You heard him yourself, the other guy provoked him."

"I know, but… I just can't. You don't understand. You didn't have to live with someone beating you everyday until you couldn't move. I had to be homeschooled because I was so bruised. Mom didn't want anyone to know our secret."

Zero was quit. He stood and walked away. After a few seconds he came back. "I do understand," he said. "My father used to beat me. Then one day when I was five my mother stabbed him. She brought me to the park later that day and when I turned around, she was gone. I slept in that park every night for ten years until the day I got picked up and brought here."

"Wow. Um…I'm so sorry. I… didn't realize."

"It's alright."

"Can I ask you a question," she asked.

"Go ahead."

"Um… why don't you talk?"

"I don't talk because I see no reason to. Yes, I have things to say, but I don't. I never seem able to."

"Why are you talking to me now?"

"Because I know when a friend needs me."

Kimi hugged him.

"Why don't you talk much?" Zero asked.

"I'm scared," She said rapping her arms around herself.

"Scared of what?"

"I'm scared that if I say anything bad, he'll get me."

"But he's dead."

"I know."

AN: Hey all. I hope you are enjoying my story. I just got done rewriting my chapters a bit. The next chapter should be out by Sunday. See ya


End file.
